The Judge

In that class I was talking of, the instructor also owned a gun store and trained police. He invited us to bring our old phone books and he soaked them in water for us to test our rounds in. The Black Talons were a joke (those were the ones they wanted to make illegal). The silver tips performed well but my loads with Hornady XTP (extreme terminal performance) beat them for penetration and expansion. The Federal Hydro Shocks were a near equal, great penetration and expansion for a factory load.
I'm looking for a good revolver for the OL for the depenabilty factor (no jambs just point and pull the trigger, if nothing happens pull it again) I'm thinking either a Taurus or Smith in 44 spl. Or maybe a smith in 41 mag. With a heavy bullet and a light load the .41 would be a manstopper. AL

AFNurse, talking about old shotguns with some issues...

Wayyy back in the day someone had given me this old 12 gauge that was a pump, but it also had a hammer. It was really beat up and in bad shape. I was showing it to someone, loaded it back up, pumped one into the chamber and was carefully lowering the hammer - well I guess I wasn't careful enough. Fortunately I had it aimed at the least valuable thing in that tiny house - the solid wood door to the bedroom. The curtains and blanket on the bed looked like a porcupine. 25 years later, it's kinda funny (also a little scary still). I didn't mess with that gun much more after that.

I have a really good gun safe anchored into the concrete foundation but you make a good point, I will have to check with my agent. As far as I know I just have a lump sum dollar value on all my possessions in the house and the shop.
Good Idea Chuck I live about 15 miles out of town so we burn our trash, i have a big ol brush pile ready to torch, (well as soon as they lift the burn ban) that way there is nothing for the dogs to dig up. Al

Had Insurance with Farmers because of one of my aunts, For No reason, NO claims, No warnin. The dropped insurance on me.
I went with Allstate. They have replaced a roof so far.

I know Massad Ayoob (a gun journalist) says it's dumb, but I do it anyway, use my own handloads for carry. I load a Hornady XTP 115 grain JHP over 6.5 grains of Alliant Unique in 9mm and get 1262/410 ft lbs from the 3" barrel of my Kel Tec P11. This thing is DAO (great for pocket carry), 14 ounces unloaded, accurate as heck, 100 percent reliable. and packs 13 rounds in a gun that's 1" thick at its widest. I really don't think they make a better handgun for carry at any price and Kel Tec has the best customer service in the industry from what I'm told, though I haven't had to find out. My KT has 11,000+ trouble free rounds through it and ain't missed a beat.

I also load a 90 grain XTP in .380 for about 200 ft lbs, not a lot, but hell, hit 'em in the face with it and they're bound to notice. Beats nothin' and the gun, an old Grendel P12, is super easy to tote in a pocket. I like revolvers, but the little autos just make so much sense for carry. I have a Taurus M85UL .38 revolver and a Ruger SP101 .357 magnum snubby I like to carry, also, but the Ruger is a might heavy to pocket. It's comfy IWB, though. I have other carries, but these are my faves. In the Ruger, I shoot a 140 grain Speer JHP to 550 ft lbs from a 2.3" barrel. If that can't stop the attacker, I don't think a shotgun would be much better, frankly. But, I don't often carry more than my 9. I just don't see why I need more and it's so light and handy and accurate, it's no problem at all and I never leave home without it. Heck, I never get out of bed without it. I've shot the thing so much, I sorta have a Zen thing going with it. Only gun I have that matches it for my ability to shoot it is my Ruger P90 in .45ACP. It's a big gun, IWB only, but I have shot it in local competition and IDPA so much, it just sorta aims itself. Erie feeling, but a good feeling. I also have a Taurus 3" medium frame M66 I picked up at a gun show for $180. This thing is perfectly timed, a little wear, but tight. It's super accurate and as easy to carry as the SP101. I often debate which to carry. The Taurus has 6 rounds on tap (newer ones are 7 shot) and is only a few ounces heavier and not much larger physically than the SP101, but I love the round butt profile of the Houge grip I put on the SP101. The Taurus is a square butt and doesn't feel as nice in the hand.

Lol